Beloved New York Times bestseller M. C. Beaton’s cranky, crafty Agatha Raisin–now the star of a hit T.V. show–is back on the case again in Hot to Trot. When Private Detective Agatha Raisin learns that her friend and one-time lover Charles Fraith is to be married to a mysterious socialite, Miss Mary Brown-Field, she sees it as her duty to find out what she can about the woman. Coming up empty, … about the woman. Coming up empty, Agatha–out of selfless concern for Charles, of course–does the only sensible thing she can think of: she crashes their wedding, which ends in a public altercation. Nursing a hangover the next morning, she gets a phone call from Charles, with even more disturbing news: Mary has been murdered.
Agatha takes on the case, and quickly becomes entrenched in the competitive equestrian world, in which Mary had been enmeshed–as well as the victim’s surprisingly violent past. Agatha finds no shortage of motives among a wide range of characters, from Mary’s old riding competitors, to enemies from her schoolgirl days, to her surly father, who threatens Agatha to mind her own business. Meanwhile, the police department has its money on another suspect: Agatha. Will she track down the criminal in time, or end up behind bars herself?
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I confess, the first time I was introduced to Agatha Raisin as a character, I wasn’t impressed. I thought her shrill, opinionated, and far too prone to upsetting everyone around her. As someone who went out of her way to avoid conflict, I was uncomfortable with her as a character.
Turns out, I just had to wait to until I got older to appreciate Agatha’s frank approach to life, and her determination not to let anyone walk all over her. Truth be told, I could have used more of her no-nonsense gumption when I was younger. I might not be happy gate-crashing weddings or passing myself off as something I’m not but if I ever got into trouble, I’d want Agatha Raisin on my side to get me out of it.
In Hot to Trot, the gang’s all here: James, Charles, Toni, Gustav, Roy… Charles has found his way out of permanent debt by marrying into money, but his new bride is determined to make his life a living hell with plans to remodel his estate and turn it into a modern hotel/spa. Agatha takes it upon herself to rescue Charles from this situation, even as James makes a bid to rekindle their former romance. When Bridezilla winds up dead and Charles is the number one suspect, Agatha’s investigations take her into the monied world of competitive show jumpers, hence the name of the book. Fun. Quintessential British Mystery.
Not the best of the Agatha Raisin series, but the series as a whole is worth reading. Very entertaining
This is the 31st book in the Agatha Raisin series and as we all know M.C. Beacon passed away last year. Newton chose Rod Greene to take over and in my opinion he does a fantastic job. The story flows well in this book and it’s as charming and humorous as usual. There may be a few differences in Agatha, she does seem a little softer in this book. But, at the end of the day Agatha is still snarky, witty and self absorbed. I hope the series continues and if so I’ll be waiting for book 32. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I’m voluntarily providing an honest review.
I was disappointed to find that M.C. Beaton had died in 2019. The book was finished by an old friend of hers. There was more description of the beautiful Cotswolds area, and the interactions between the characters were less truncated. It had seemed recently as though the author was trying to hurry through. Agatha has finally given up smoking but is still struggling with her other faults.
It’s hard for readers to say good-bye to a long running series. Sadly, “Hot To Trot” is the thirty-first and final title in the Agatha Raisin mystery series penned by M. C. Beaton. Ms. Beaton passed away late last year, but with the able assistance of co-writer R. W. Green, completed “Hot To Trot” just before her death as a farewell gift to her millions of fans.
Agatha is her delightfully flawed, irascible self in this book, as she has been in all the others. She’s still running the Agatha Raisin Detective Agency with the able assistance of her loyal staff. She’s still fighting to preserve her delusion of still being an attractive, youthful woman, in complete denial about the fact that she really is a late middle-aged spinster. And, of course, she’s still looking for love in all the wrong places.
One of Agatha’s off-again, on-again lovers is Sit Charles Fraith, who may have a title, but is always hard up for money. To enrich is ever dwindling coffers, he decides to marry the odious but wealthy heiress and riding enthusiast, Mary Darlinda Brown-Field. Agatha believes Charles is making a huge mistake, and decides to dig up enough dirt on the bride-to-be that the wedding will be cancelled. Agatha ends up in a nasty public fistfight with the bride-to-be at a pre-nuptial party, and shortly after the fight, she and Charles find Mary dead.. They become the police’s prime suspects for her murder.
“Hot To Trot” is a perfect ending to a wonderful series.
Summary
Agatha Raisin is the founder of Raisin Investigations, a successful private investigator business, and she has plenty of cases to keep her and her staff busy.
One of those cases is the Chadwick divorce case. Mrs. Sheraton Chadwick is suspected of cheating on her husband, but the man meeting her is careful to keep his identity secret. Another case is Philpot Electronics; the company chairman has doubts about his new managing director, Harold Cheeseman. The request of a Mr. Gutteridge, owner of a biscuit and cake factory, to install listening devices in order for him to monitor his workers’ gossip, is turned down. A Mrs. Jessop thinks a poltergeist is re-arranging her kitchen and digging in her garden, while a Mrs. Fletcher wants the agency to find out who is using the bottom of her garden as a latrine. But the biggest case, and one causing Agatha the biggest turmoil, is why her long-time friend Sir Charles Fraith is marrying Mary Darlinda Brown-Field, thirty years his junior.
According to the headline in the Mircester Telegraph local newspaper, the impending nuptials is the “Society Wedding of the Year.” The ceremony is to take place at Sir Charles’ ancestral home at Barfield House. The photo doesn’t bode well for a happy union; Sir Charles’ expression is vague and haunted, while Mary’s grasp on Charles’ arm is anything but tender and loving. Agatha knows it is a marriage of convenience; Mary’s family is very wealthy, and Sir Charles is not. A rushed, hushed conversation with Gustav, a man of many talents very much needed on the estate and a man who loathes Agatha, painted a far more dire picture of life at Barfield House. After the newlyweds returned from their honeymoon, Mary’s body is found in the stables after fighting with Agatha at Mary’s birthday bash/costume party. Agatha is determined to find Mary’s killer, but someone else is just as determined to stop her.
Recommendation
I’ve not read all the Agatha Raisin novels, yet, but I’ve really enjoyed the ones I’ve read. I love the characters and their relationships to each other, the glimpses into English village life, and the plot twists that keep me guessing (and second guessing) until the end.
Hot to Trot earns 5/5 Powdered Wigs…Entertaining “Let Them Eat Cake” Fun!
Agatha Raisin is still uncompromising with many complicated personal and professional relationships spicing it up in a fashionable image. Raisin Investigations, her thriving business, continues as an avenue to put into practice, for a hefty fee, her investigative skill. However, despite her display of outward confidence and independence, she is consumed with her long-time friend with the occasional benefits, Sir Charles Fraith, decision to marry a much younger wealthy socialite. Is her money in exchange for his more respected peerage? The bride’s often threatening manner, behind-the-scenes plans for the estate, “stay away or else” threat issued to Agatha, and a tantrum of Agatha’s attendance at an elaborate Versailles-themed party are very problematic. Then Lady-zilla ends up dead, and Agatha accused.
I’ve read several Agatha Raisin books and watched every “based on” tele-movie, so I have a working knowledge of the style, characters, and personalities Beaton had created. This thirty-first drama, penned by Rod Green, is a tad shorter than other books I’ve read, but not short on the wit, clever banter, and karmic delight fans expect from Agatha! Green’s writing style uses descriptive language painting clear pictures of the setting and characters and dialogue that does well to illustrate tone and personalities. The drama is quite engaging with a wide reaching suspect pool and motives including the competitive equestrian community and the victim’s past foes and dysfunctional family, and of course, accusing Agatha and Charles adding to the drama ending with a “Yeah!” final reveal. Other cases at Raisin’s Investigations involved intriguing and funny clients, but I was sorry some were resolved off the page. From a technical perspective, I felt there were a few issues with transitions between events; the passing of time and changes of setting could be more easily portrayed with an end of one chapter and the beginning of another. It didn’t effect my enjoyment…I couldn’t put it down!
I love Agatha! With Green’s pen she continues to be bold, impulsive, brilliant, and like us women of a “certain age,” she worries about her aging appearance. She has friends and colleagues who admire her, love her, and battle with her strong-willed manner. She contends with a delightful triangle with ex-husband James, ex-lover Charles, and ex-wannabe boyfriend Chris. And along with all the reoccurring characters, Green has done well to keep up the image for fans continued enjoyment. Agatha Raisin is in good hands!
i really love this series, never disappoints
I’m glad this delightful series continued. Having been a fan of Agatha since the first book, I was not ready to let go and say goodbye. In this, the 31st of the series, Agatha is just as feisty as ever. Her love life has taken some hits over the years and now her friend and former lover is getting married. Not only is Agatha not thrilled by this, she dislikes the bride to be. Being a private investigator has its perks and she does her own snooping into the future Lady Mary. Is this going to be a marriage for love or for the money she will be able to pour into the groom’s estate? Sir Charles Fraith is short on money.Well Agatha has a plan – she not only crashes the nuptials, she also crashes the fancy dress ball and gets tossed out of both by the bride. No love loss between those two. When Lady Mary is found dead, two suspects get top billing on the police list of prime suspects: Agatha and Charles. In order to remove himself from the list, he hires Agatha to track down the killer.As she, too, has a lot at stake, it’s a no brainer and off she goes, into the horse set and the dark past of the dead bride. Turns out there is a long list of possible suspects.
Along with taking on the case with Charles, there are other cases going at Raisin Investigations. Checking into an employee’s background, uncovering a possible poltergeist who rearranges items in the clients kitchen cupboards and the strange case of the phantom pooper in a lady’s back garden.
Agatha even takes a trip to France to investigate the horse crowd.
I enjoyed the mystery and it’s twists and turns. The writing style had a smooth flow and when I was finished, I decided that I will happily leave Agatha Raisin on my list of favorite mystery characters. It was delightful.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur Books and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review
Hot to Trot by MC Beaton is an Agatha Raisin. Before the end of the first page I was back in Carsley with Agatha, Charles, James, and all the others. It was a different day, however with Charles about to marry. She was a ghastly young woman. The only recommending feature she had, in Aggie’s opinion, was how rich she was. Charles needed an infusion of cash to keep his home, well, estate. When she went to visit, his man, Gustav, with whom Aggie had a rocky relationship, was welcoming. That, in itself, put Aggie on her guard. It turned out he liked the bride as little as Aggie so they decided to work together to manage Charles and this wedding. Sadly, the wedding took place, as planned, pretty much, but Gustav helped Aggie and Toni sneak into the costume ball shortly after and Charles and Aggie were in the middle of a walk and talk when they heard a scream. Upon investigation, they came upon the young couple that had discovered the bride’s body, hanging from the rafters in the barn. Of course, they both immediately became suspects.
Agatha pulled out all the stops to prove Charles’ innocence. Along the way she discovered a myriad of suspects, as Mary Darlinda Brown Field Fraith had not been liked . . . by anyone. It took multiple visits to many witnesses and possible suspects to ferret out the truth. Cases intermingled. Attractive men came and went. Aggie continued to be Aggie. In the end Aggie proved Charles innocent . . . of the murder? Agatha Raisin is not the most likable sleuth in the world, or even the most likable woman, but she is an endearing character. This was a well-written book with some surprising plot twists. I recommend you give it a read.
I was invited to read a free ARC of Hot to Trot by Netgalley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #hottotrot